Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Penalizing Employees for Customer Theft

The metro had an interesting article today about a new piece of legislation that will require that customers at gas stations pay before pumping as a way of preventing "gas and run" theft. This method is already used in the US, and frankly while it is deeply inconvenient, I understand the method to the madness.

Having said all that, there was another tidbit that completely appalled me. Some stations owners apparently feel entitled to penalize attendants for this stolen gas by deducting the amounts stolen from their paycheques. That is absolutely unacceptable and I'm pleased that the legislation introduced will make the practice illegal. To suggest that an employee should risk life and limb to prevent a person from driving off with stolen goods just absurd.

How are they expected to prevent this? Should they throw themselves in front of the car to keep it from disappearing into traffic? Perhaps take out a shotgun and riddle the car with holes? Or else use telekinesis to convince the person to turn back around and pay? How on earth does anyone verbalize a logical reasoning for why these minimum-wage employees need to take the brunt of someone's criminal activity?

The whole story has me completely incensed and I will be tracking the legislation on this blog. Hopefully it won't be long before such nonsense is put to rest.

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